Eye-testing device.



C. G. HERRIGVK.

EYE TESTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED IuNE I9'. |916.

228020 Pai-entd May 29,1917.

1591;@ mm I |I mve/ntoz @Maw/AWV Z7 /7 @kfw Z126 ff ZJ I CHARLES e. BEREICH, 0E INDEPENDENCE, IOWA.

EYE-TESTING DEVICE.

To all wtom t may concern.'

Be it known that'I, CHARLES G. I-IEPLRIGK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Independence, in the county of Buchanan and State of Iowa, have invented certain lnew and useful Improvements in Eye-Test siring glasses may himself use the same to ascertain-what glasses are best suited to'his needs. Moreover, the arrangement is such that an almost unlimited number of glasses may be used in this mannerin the device, in order that allglasses that might be suited to a persons eyes may be brought to his line of vision-for trial. Further, the invention provides means whereby glasses may be held at the same time in and trial.

When read in connection with the description herein, the details of construction and arrangement of parts contemplated by the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein an embodiment of the invention is disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

While the disclosures herein now are considered to exemplify apreferable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of the claims, as alterations and adaptations within the limits of the claims can be madev without departing from the nature and spirit'of the invention. v

Like reference-characters refer to corresponding parts in the views of the drawings, of which- Y Figure 1 is a front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2 2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view looking toward the front.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, 7 designates a case, preferably made of wood and rectangular in general outline, arranged to be supported by a table Specification of Letters Patent.

position for both display or other suitable base 8. The case is closed at the top, bottom, land sides, except as hereinafter described. The interior surface of the walls of the case is painted a flat white, and the interior is lightedby one or more lamps 9, electric lamps preferably being usec.

A centrally-positioned vertical opening 10 y extends from top to bottom of the front wall of the case. Apost 11 is positioned at each side of the opening, and these posts are formed with oppositely-disposed guideways 12. A slide 13 normally closes the opening 10, and it has at each side a laterally-extend-V ing iiange la' arranged to seatin one of the guideways 12 and thereby guide the slide in its vertical movement. A knob 15 is secured to the slide near the bottom to afford a hold for causing movement of the slide. The

` slide is balanced by a counter-weight 16 vertically movable at the side of the interior of the case and attached at one end of a cord 17 roven through a sheave 18 near the top of the case and having at its other endv ahook or the like-19 arranged to removably engage a screw-eye or the like 2O near the bottom of the slide.

The slide is formed with a plurality of pairs of sight-openings 21 arranged successively in series one above another from near the bottom tonear the top, theopenings of eaclipair having their centers the distance apartof the aXes of the lenses of the usual run of eye-glasses and sufliciently large to permit alinement therewith of lenses of wide and narrow glasses.' O nthe face of the slide normally inside of the case there is for each vertical series of sight-openings 21 apair of guideways 22 arranged to receive thev side marginal portions and'to guide a'strip of sheetmaterial 23 adaptedfto closel the openings. Each of the closingfstrips may have one or more sight-openings 2t'of the'size of'an'd positioned to be brought to alinement with any one of the sight-openings 21 of the series to which. the strip pertains.

At each side of each pair of sight-open ings 21 the slide has on its outer face a hook 25 or other suitable support adapted to engage and removably hold one of a series of glasses, spectacles, or the like 26 with its lenses in registry with the openings.

One or more pairs of eye-tubes 27 are secured to the posts 11 in such position that there are lines of visionthrough the tubes and openings in the slide. At least'one of Patented May 29, 1917. YApplication filed June 19, 1916. serial No. 104,549.

the pairs of eye-tubes is placed at the height of the eyes oit' the average person when seated before the case, so that he may easily look through them, and others may be placed at other positions for taller and shorter adults and for children. A test-card 28 is hung at the rear oit' the interior oi' the case on a support 29 at the usual distance of Jfourteen inches from the lenses on the slide.

This device is susceptible of use unassisted by a person desiring glasses in order to determine the one having lenses best suited to him, the glasses being identified, if desired, by numerals in proximity te them on the slide. The user, being seated before the case, moves the slide up and down until he iinds the glasses containing the proper lenses, and any number of slides carrying glasses of varying characteristics may be placed successively in operative 4position in the case until the proper glasses are determined. When it is desired to test one eye alone, the series of sight-openings opposite to the other eye may be closed by one of the closingstrips 23; and, if it is desired during the testing of a single eye also to look through a lens opposite to the other eye, the opening opposite to that eye may be opened by bringing one of the openings 24 of the strip in alinement therewith.

It is to be observed thatthe construction and arrangement of the various parts of this invention are such that the actual glasses, spectacles, or the like that a person that tests his own eyes will require and acquire are used in the tests, thus avoiding the liability of mistake in obtaining the correct lenses such as may occur when irremovable lenses for test purposes are used and other lenses given that are supposed to correspond eX- actly therewith. Moreover, it is unnecessary to handle the glasses during their inspection and trial, and thus they do not become linger marked or injured in any way. Further, in view of the fact that the glasses, spectacles, and the like are themselves made available for test purposes by this device, a dealer is saved the expense of carrying in stock the large number of separate lenses ordinarily required for eye-testing purposes. In addition, as any desired or required number of slides suitable for use in the device may be kept on hand, those slides may be used separately from the device for holding and displaying the articles in showwindows,

Vcounter-cases, on shelves, and elsewhere,

from which positions they may be taken at any time for test use in the device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An eye-testing device having an opening therein, a slide movable in said opening and having a plurality 'of pairs of sightopenings disposed in straight series and arranged to be brought successively to position opposite to the line of vision of a user, a strip for each series of sight-openings arranged to be moved to close them, and means whereby glasses are removably secured to said slide with their lenses in alinement with said sight-openings.

2. An eye-testing device having an opening therein, a slide movable in said opening and having a plurality of pairs of sightopenings disposed in straight series and arranged to be brought successively to position opposite` to the line of vision of a user, a strip for each series of sight-openings arranged to be moved to close them and having an opening-alined with its series, and means whereby eye-glasses are removably secured to said slide with their lenses in alinement with said sight-openings.

3. In an eye-testing device, a slide movable transversely of the line of vision of a user and having a plurality of pairs of sight openings arranged to be brought successively toy position opposite to the line of vision of a user, a strip for each series of sight-openings arranged to be moved to close them, and means whereby glasses are secured to said slide with their lenses in alinement with said sight-openings.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES Gr. HERRICK.

Witnesses:

EVA DAY, J. E. Coon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, LD. C. 

